


Worth It

by blackm00n5



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Gen, Jace is a good friend, Jace taking care of his bro, M/M, Magnus isn't actually in the fic, just needed some jalec brotp feels, parabrotai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-21 00:19:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9522416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackm00n5/pseuds/blackm00n5
Summary: Jace Wayland does not take kindly to people who insult his best friend.And Alec Lightwood feels guilty when people treat Jace badly because of him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I just need my parabatai children to be happy okay?
> 
> For Alxanderlightwood on tumblr

Since being in the City of Bones, and having to save Aldertree’s life before he was considered innocent, Jace hadn’t spent much time away from Alec. 

Now, even before everything had gone to hell, Alec and Jace had spent most of their time at each other’s sides. They found comfort in one another, were able to relax and vent and trust each other like they could never trust anyone else. But after almost losing each other? They were clinging, refusing to leave each other as if they were afraid that they’d never see each other again if they did.

so they stayed even closer together than before, even slept in the same room like they had when they were younger. Stayed up into the wee hours of the morning just talking, reconnecting. And, as odd as it was, it seemed their bond was stronger than ever. Their ability to survive everything had tethered them even more firmly together and everyone could see it.

And some of the other Shadowhunters - the ones who had never had a parabatai and thus could never understand the pure hell Jace and Alec had gone through - were getting frustrated with it. When they called on one of them, the other was there. Whenever they walked into a room, they were standing so close they could touch. Whenever one had a job, whether the job was out in the field or as boring as paperwork, they were together. Jace had very nearly bit off Maryse’s head when she mentioned the oddity of two grown men sharing a bed, (Although, that was more because Jace just knew it was meant as an insult to Alec.) and had threatened to fight Raj when he insisted the two eat apart from one another.

Jace was absolutely refusing to leave Alec’s side, again. He had promised himself, and more importantly he had promised Alec, that he’d be a better parabatai.

However, Jace was perfectly content to spend time away from Alec if it was because Alec was going on a date.

He was ecstatic, almost as happy as Alec was. Jace had spent years feeling guilty, knowing how Alec felt about him but unable to really do anything about it. Unable to make the situation better. Jace knew he couldn’t change how he felt for Alec, and he certainly couldn’t change how Alec felt. So he had been stuck, knowing he was hurting his best friend but absolutely helpless to stop it. And he had tried, for nearly two years he had tried to feel the same for him. He had tried to force himself to want Alec as a lover instead of a brother because it was the only way he could see this ending without Alec getting hurt. But, even as he had tried to convince himself he loved Alec like that, he had known it would never work. That he was doomed to be the reason his best friend was heartbroken.

But now? Now, Alec was happier than Jace had ever seen him. Was putting effort into how he looked, was smiling more. Magnus had crashed into Alec’s life without warning, was turning his entire world upside down in the best way possible and Jace was so happy to watch it happen.

So, that was why Jace didn’t mind having to sit on surveillance duty while Alec was out at some wonderful cafe on the other side of the world. It was boring, as surveillance duty always was, but it was certainly easy. He could get away with playing on his phone, at least.

So he sat at the table, lounged back in a chair with his foot up on the desk as he glanced over the screens and resisted the urge to text Alec to see how the date was going. Nothing interesting was happening, nothing interesting ever happened on surveillance. Except for the odd instance of people sneaking off to make out, which had happened once or twice over the years Jace had been old enough to take over watching the cameras.

He didn’t even look up when another Shadowhunter - Someone named Evan, who was only a few years older than him and Alec - walked up to him, placing a hot cup of coffee in front of him. Jace just nodded in thanks, flicking through his phone for a moment before setting it down so he could grab the mug. He brought the cup up to his lips, inhaling deeply before taking a sip.

When Evan didn’t leave, Jace raised an eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder at him. He stayed quiet, waiting for Evan to explain why he was still lingering. Evan shifted uncomfortably, not looking at Jace.

“Isn’t it weird?” He finally asked. Jace’s brows furrowed together, and he took his foot from the table so he could turn in his seat to look at him.

“What do you mean?” He asked, confusion written across his face.

“Being Alec’s Parabatai.” Evan clarified. Jace narrowed his eyes, instantly tensing in a protective manner despite Alec not even being there. He slowly stood, locking eyes with Evan.

“Excuse me?” He said, a threat barely concealed in his tone.

“I mean,” Evan started, easily, as if he couldn’t tell Jace was already gearing up. “aren’t you worried? He might try to get with you. The Parabatai bond is intimate, and if he’s queer, maybe he’s just being a creep.”

Jace blinked once, then twice. It took a long, long moment for his head to wrap around that. And when it did, absolute fury lit up in Jace’s veins. He had already spent years knowing Alec hated himself for loving him, he knew the absolute humiliation and the nauseating amount of guilt Alec had felt. Jace had been Alec’s best friend, his parabatai, his brother through all of it. Had done everything he could to try and make it better for Alec, to make the situation the least painful it could be. Not once had Jace been worried or freaked out or whatever it was Evan was saying.

And suddenly, Jace was on top of Evan, was midway through his third or fourth punch before he even realized what he was doing. He could hear shouting around him, could feel hands grabbing and pulling at him. There was blood on Jace’s knuckles, and he struggled against the hands holding him back.

“Don’t ever talk about Alec.” He snarled out, breathing heavily through his nose.

“What the fuck!” Evan demanded and he scrambled back and away from Jace, one hand holding his nose to try and staunch the bleeding.

“Never talk about Alec, you don’t know a god damn thing about him.” Jace said, continuing as if Evan hadn’t said anything. “And if I hear you even say his name again I’ll tear you apart you son of a bitch.”

“Jace!” Izzy called his name, rushing up to him. She pushed off the two or three people trying to hold Jace, standing in front of him with her hands on his chest. “Jace, come on, relax! Whatever he said about Alec, you know this isn’t going to fix it!”

Jace stared past Izzy to Evan, chest heaving. Finally, he shifted he gaze to look at Izzy and he nodded once. Izzy immediately relaxed a little, and she reached to take his hand. Jace kept his eyes on her as she guided him away, leading him away from everyone and towards the bedrooms.

“Just leave me alone, Iz.” He said quietly when the arrived to his bedroom. Izzy lingered for a long moment, then nodded and turned to leave.

 

* * *

 

Jace wasn’t sure how long he stayed in his room before there was a knock on his door. He had spent a fair amount of time laying into his punching bag, had showered, and had started playing some sort of puzzle game on his phone. He licked at his lips as he hopped to his feet, opening his door. Immediately, a smile came to his face and he stepped to the side to let Alec come in. 

But Alec didn’t look excited. He didn’t look like someone who had just returned from a fantastic date. He looked...pale, almost sick. Was chewing into his bottom lip so harshly that it might bleed. He had his hands shoved into his pockets, looking down instead of looking at Jace. The smile faded, and Jace’s brows furrowed as he shut the door.

“Alec?” He asked. “Hey, buddy, what happened? You alright?” He went to rest a hand on Alec’s shoulder, and his worry spiked when he felt Alec tense up.

“Izzy told me what happened.” Alec said, quickly. Jace blinked, then deflated with a sigh.

“I’m sorry, Alec. He had no right to talk about you.” He said, moving to sit on the edge of the bed, looking up at Alec. Alec still wouldn’t look at him, and he lifted a hand to rub nervously at the back of his head.

It was silent for a long moment. And that in of itself wasn’t odd. They had always been able to communicate without speaking. Alec understood Jace, knew what he was trying to say but couldn’t. And Jace knew how to read Alec better than anyone. But this silence was different. This silence was almost awkward, like neither of them actually knew what to say.

“I’m sorry.” Alec finally blurted out, just as the silence was starting to grate on Jace’s nerves. Jace’s brows furrowed in confusion, and he tilted his head.

“What are you sorry for?” He asked, a tiny smile twitching at his lips. A confused smile, like he knew Alec was telling a joke but he didn’t quite understand what it was.

Alec sighed, that frustrated kind of sigh he gave when he didn’t know how to articulate what he was thinking, and he collapsed on the bed beside Jace. Jace shifted so he could face Alec a little better, and he stayed quiet. Gave Alec his time to figure out what he needed to say.

“I just...you’re getting shit because of me.” Alec said, quietly, after a few long moments. “And they’re not going to stop. Everyone is going to look at you differently because of me. I’m sorry.”

Jace blinked a few times, then he shook his head.

“What? Alec, hey. Come on, listen to me,” He nudged at Alec’s shoulder, waiting for him to turn so they were looking at one another. Once Alec forced himself to face him - and Jace knew he had to force it, knew Alec was doing his best not to jump up and run. - Jace placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently.

“Look. You chose your own happiness. And if that makes them look at you differently, then fuck them. You are my parabatai. My brother. You are always going to come first to me, okay? So if that means they look at me differently, too, then I’m cool with it.”

Jace let his thumb rub lovingly back and forth over Alec’s shoulder as he spoke, making sure to keep their eyes locked together. He needed Alec to understand this. Needed him to know that what they had would always be more important than what others thought of him.

Alec smiled just barely, and he ducked his head shyly. Jace let him look away, but he kept a firm hold on his shoulder. Alec went quiet again, going back to chewing at his lip. Then, a bigger smile pulled across his face and he glanced at Jace.

“It, uh….it was a really nice date.” He said, and Jace immediately smiled brightly at him.

“Oh yeah?” He asked. “Tell me all about it.”

And watching Alec’s face light up as he talked about his date? Feeling that warmth through their bond and seeing him look so relaxed and happy?

Definitely worth the month long ban on field work Jace got for punching Evan.


End file.
